Toile de Jouy: Printed Textiles in the Classic French Style

By Melanie Riffel

In the seventeenth century, printed and painted cottons from India first appeared in France. In reaction to the enormous commercial success of these bright Indian cottons, a French embargo was placed on the importation of foreign textiles. In 1759 this ban was finally lifted, and in 1760 the Manufacture Royale de Jouy was founded in Jouy-en-Josas, near Paris, to produce printed cotton fabrics on French soil that could compete with the popular imported ones.

At first the factory produced polychrome cottons with floral or plant motifs that were intended for clothing. Subsequently, the "monochromes" appeared; adorned with rural, historical, mythological, narrative, and oriental themes, they were used mainly for home furnishings. Within a few years, the factory was the biggest of its kind in Europe, and its printed textiles had become widely used in France and abroad. In all, some 30,000 designs were created at Jouy-en-Josas through the years, many of them the work of renowned eighteenth-century artists such as Fragonard and Boucher.

The authors, both curators at the Mus e de la Toile de Jouy, have drawn upon the museum's rich collections to produce the first-ever complete history of these textiles. The illustrations include original designs that are conserved in the museum, exceptional historical examples of toile de Jouy clothing and furniture, documents relating to manufacture and to the founding of the company, and examples of contemporary uses of the textiles.

Toile de Jouy has become increasingly popular among designers and decorators, who incorporate its classic patterns in upholstery, wallpaper, bed linens, tablecloths, napkins, and stationery. For anyone interested in the history of textiles and design, or looking for fresh ideas for interior decor, this book will be an essential reference.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0500511497
• ISBN13: 9780500511497
• Release Date: November 2003
• Publisher: Thames & Hudson
• Length: 217 Pages
• Weight: 3.56 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 9.7" x 12.3"

Customer Reviews

Delighted

Enjoyed this book. Well written and filled with colorful illustrations. Gained knowledgeable information regarding the history of Toile de Jouy. Used as a resource for a History of Interior Design report.

Good enough for Marie Antoinette, it is good enough for me!

Recently there has been an explosion in the popular applications of toile de Jouy's monochromatic patterns. You can buy anything from a dog bed to a light switch cover embellished with this venerable fabric. Although it may seem faddish, toile de Jouy has been a classic decorating choice for almost 250 years never falling out of favor. A recently published book, Toile de Jouy: Printed Textiles in the Classical French Style brings focuses on the interesting history of this enduring fabric decorating staple. Toile de Jouy includes hundreds of vibrant color photographs gathering together antique fabrics, pattern sketchbooks, block prints, period clothing, and period soft furnishings. The photographs capture the amazing monochromatic fabric designs that we are familiar with, historical tributes, literary themes, everyday scenes, and bucolic country life. There are also fabrics that we are not likely to associate with toile de Jouy; blazing or muted multicolored florals and geometrics. Toile de Jouy also educates the reader about historical textile production, design, and the history of France during difficult political times. The Manufacture Royale de Jouy, which produced these fine fabrics, opened for business in 1760 with just three employees. During it's 83 years in business The Manufacture Royale de Jouy accomplished the Herculean task of creating and printing 30,000 patterns. Famous artists of the day were courted to produce patterns and they accepted because the work had high visibility and was well paid. So popular were the fabrics that the annual receipts made it the second largest factory in France.Always a fine and expensive product, toile was personally selected by Marie Antoinette and Napoleon for interior decoration in their palaces and stately homes. To attest to the brilliance and timeless character of the original designs many are still available from contemporary suppliers such as Pierre Frey, Brunschweig and Fils, Maison Georges Le Manach, Casal-Amelie Prevot, Braquenie, and other manufacturers.